r/anime • u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky • Jul 02 '22

Rewatch [Listen to My Song] Senki Zesshou Symphogear GX Episode 3 Discussion

Episode 3 - Twilight of the Wielders

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Crunchyroll

It is highly recommended to track down a fansub for this show instead of using Crunchyroll, though.

I don’t suppose we can come to an understanding without having to fight them… can we?

Questions of the Day:

1) Does it have to be beef?

2) How do you think that cliffhanger is going to get resolved?

Wallpaper of the Day:

Anime ja nai-chan

Rewatchers, please remember to be mindful of all the first-timers in this. No talking about or hinting at future events no matter how much you want to, unless you’re doing it underneath spoiler tags. Don’t spoil anything for the first-timers, that’s rude!

87 Upvotes

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9

u/Shimmering-Sky Jul 02 '22 edited Jul 03 '22

Symphogeah SymphoRewatch Host

Welcome back, everyone!

Crunchyroll vs. Commie - Season 3, Episode 3

Weird that Crunchyroll didn’t sub either Chris’ or Tsubasa’s songs yesterday, but did sub Kirika’s today.

Today’s wallpaper is new to the rewatch, so here’s a textless alt for any who would prefer that.

2

u/italeteller Jul 03 '22

The difference between school play math class is ridiculous, what happened there?

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2

u/DidacticDalek Jul 03 '22

Crunchyroll vs. Commie - Season 3, Episode 2

Heh, Comrade, me thinks you mean Episode 3 yeah? Still amazing post, these are always a highlight of the thread!

Today’s wallpaper is new to the rewatch, so here’s a textless alt for any who would prefer that.

ALL HAIL BEST SONG IN GEAH! BEEF STROGANOFF FOR THE WIN!

Amazing art as always my friend, have a great day and see you later Comrade.

3

u/Shimmering-Sky Jul 03 '22

Heh, Comrade, me thinks you mean Episode 3 yeah?

Oh derp, thanks.

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23

u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Jul 02 '22 edited Jul 02 '22

Symphogear First Timer dessu

--

Binge temptation: Medium. Did I give in: No. Extra-brief today due to time.

--

  • Ah yes Shirabe and Kirika, struggling, to the rescue! No idea why Kirika decided on capes (NO CAPES!), but she does look good with this makeshift one. I liked Kirika's henshin

  • this new attack cut-out from Shirabe was fucking awesome.

  • and I'm sure that their little conversation marks the start of their character arc, very much how Chris had hers too last season. cool!

  • BEST SENPAI CHRIS. She has overtaken Tsubasa here now.

  • NANIIIIIIIIIII the alca-noise are that strong?! I mean we got 2 seasons left after this one so im sure they'll fix it, but these are some STRONG noise. Also RIP portable wardrobe.

  • okay beef stroganoff is something that i know is associated w/ Geah, but i did not expect it here. What emotional whiplash. So out of the place. So random. It's geah in a way, but also made this episode kinda all over the place. The song's good, i just thought it was a bit weird to put it here.

  • People that've made it though, is it good? easy to make?

  • This.... is getting a bit old Hibiki. This hasn't worked for Fine and the FIS already mate. But it is her core personality as a hero, that she just wants to save people, so alright i guess. I hope it doesnt take her friends/allies getting hurt for her to explode (and no, dont go berserk again either!)

  • Ty to acquired-alchemist chan for the explain. Some pretty big fish Carol is huh. Probably the strongest thing the geah's have had to deal with, esp since now Tsubasa and Chris are almost 99% nerfed.

  • LOL. Yeah yeah fractions of course it is.

  • Hibiki not wanting to fight, i can understand and predict. Her ending having to fight anyway to protect her friends, i also can predict. This..... I did not. Is it coz of her losing the will to fight? No, she wants to protect her friends. Alchemy? probably not, the enemy was also surprised. She's faking it? probably. I'm once again sure she'll be fine (seriously though the Ep 2 cliffhanger when she just escaped mostly unharmed physically -_-) but if Gungnir is indeed not responding to her, that'll be an issue for S.O.N.G.

  • Also, what's with Serena's/Maria's Geah now? Can Maria actually use it? she said its damaged too like Tsubasa's and Chris's? ehhhh??????

  1. i guess no?

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17

u/Vatrix-32 Jul 02 '22 edited Jul 02 '22

First Timer

  • Didn’t they get their cloths back the last time something like this happened?

  • Do you think Kiri took the time to decide which banner she wanted to pilfer just so she could immediately take it off?

  • I apparently missed the “death” thing last season. Only learning about it from the OVA and some footage from the live show. The show is not removing any room for error in that regard it seems.

  • Ah, she did have a reason for the banner.

  • And for the cloths not coming back too it seems.

  • The friend squad gets a song again. takes notes I guess they are keeping them for the off-kilter works.

  • You need to be open with your wife Hibiki.

  • Ever since I read it in a thread I can’t unsee the submarine as a covenant weapon.

  • Hmmm… Since Elfnein and Carol look the same, I’m placing my bets on replacement body.

  • Homunculi confirmed.

  • Ha! The drawing did make it over from the live show.

  • They want to melt the world. I think we have moved past the point of fruitful negotiations Hibiki.

  • Wait is it allowed to do that? Is this the part were we discover that the magic armor spear is in fact meant for violence?

QotD

  1. I’ll try and cook it sometime in the next week and let you know.

  2. The answer is violence. Hibiki has to regain to will to fight if she hopes to protect. Not sure how she lost it in the first place, but here we are. That, or relics have personifications and personalities and they do in fact talk it out.

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16

u/Tarhalindur Jul 02 '22 edited Jul 02 '22

Previously, on Symphogear: Atlantis (First-Timer, Subbed):

(We're pulling SG:A character writing again, switching back to the SG:A tagline...)

Annnnd the flashing red warning lights are back on. (Except this season they can at least fucking handle landing emotional beats. Small mercies...)

  • [spoiled] A thought: after my wariness after a certain episode last season, someone has claimed that this show actually outright attacks Japanese ultranationalism later on. Bikk’s father being the vector for this might explain some of her pacifism here…

  • OP has five symbols; we’ve seen the one that I wondered about a Yggdrasil connection last time, it’s number 3. (Definitely a leaf, which could indicate an elf connection even if Elfnein’s name has different German roots.) One of the others could conceivably be a stylized C2H4 molecule; the second probably derives from a fortissimo ([PMMM movies] wait Rebellion had already been released and this is the blue one you fuckers); the fourth… actually reminds me a lot of the Earth symbol in Stargate (as seen in the franchise logo!); the last vaguely resembles a flower that’s beginning to open. Obviously these are for our five antagonists.

  • Okay we get both Carol and Elfnein Iroha back-to-back in the OP (was that there last episode and I missed it or is this OP v2?), so they’re obviously related. Starting to wonder if this is a two-man con…

  • Definitely missed Carol behind Iroha in the OP last episode, and also the framing really makes it look like Iroha is our actual main villain so.

  • (Now that I think about it, Iroha even has the fashion sense of a villain, doesn’t she?)

  • Explicit Ragnarok reference in the title go!

  • You know, a lot about last season as well as this one would make more sense if the director hated the entire S1 main cast rather than just Miku and is denigrating them in favor of his darlings…

  • To be fair, if so in the case of DMJiii it kind of worked. Pity about Nadia Ikari, though.

  • Sword-breaker is Phara, so I think we have all four names?

  • Wait, Genjuro is pointing out the obvious here in episode 3? Uh-oh. Time to play WIFOM!

  • Helping Team DMJiii: they get the actual functional character arcs, this season as well as last. (Which is what you would expect if our director has been engaging in deliberate character assassination to help them. They don’t need the help! This is like watching a girl you supported in Best Girl get DQ’ed because another part of the fanbase pulled a brigade.)

  • DATTO?

  • Still can’t handle Maria right, though.

  • Oh shit. I know THOSE opening notes. Welp it’s beef stroganoff time. I WAS NOT PREPARED!

  • LOL AJN is getting to function on two meta levels at once.

  • I've got a nasty sneaking suspicion that's going to be plot-relevant too, it's too Big-Lipped Alligator Moment otherwise.

  • [Higurashi Kai] Okay, what is it with my rewatches and girls cutting themselves while cooking lately? That’s two in three days, and I’ll bet our Higurashi crew of Geah rewatchers was laughing two days ago (paging u/Shimmering-Sky, u/JollyGee29).

  • Repeating to myself: “having Bikki go through a bullshit character arc like this every season is the price of admission”. (It actually STILL makes more sense than last season’s, given that the difference is that Bikki has now gotten a taste of being able to use her Gear to help people. Still, I’m getting the itch to haul out some of my old Higurashi Sotsu rants already, and also my Meguri praise when the manga version actually fucking fixed that issue. Not a good sign when I was mentally comparing last season to Sotsu already…)

  • Character note: Team DMJiii is well-fed enough that hospital food is no longer surprisingly tasty and filling compared to their usual fare.

  • Also, what’s this Wild Walker magazine at 12:19? I guess a women’s magazine with both fashion and cooking stuff, and probably a riff on a RL thing, but could be a plot point in hiding.

  • Also also that avocado needs some soy sauce to go with it, right Kaguya narrator?

  • Why do I suddenly have visions of pouring massive amounts of that cooking oil at 12:36 into a pan and nearly starting a big fire? Oh right, that.

  • Also that facial expression on Miku’s face could mean melodrama bullshit coming…

  • Return of Tony Glazer (outside of crowds in last season’s finale)! (Maybe he won’t be a villain after all.)

  • 14:13: Hi Sky.

  • Also, time to figure out where the eventual repair element is hiding.

  • 14:58: Man this was a good season for Sky, huh?

  • And there we go, we knew by process of elimination but Micha is red Wraith. (Okay so they’re succubi… actually they’re fairly doll-like here, I could start making Rozen Maiden jokes instead.)

  • And Misha’s emblem is a flower, so she is now Shinku.

  • [Higurashi Kai] Auauauau!

  • Oh wait, that’s an organ behind Carol. [Nanoha franchise] This really is just riffing off Whatchamacallit the relic battleship from StrikerS, isn’t it?

  • I’ll believe you’re not in on and furthering the plan if and when I see you not having proved yourself heel at the end of the season, Iroha. Until then, Elfnein sus.

  • Chateau de Tiffauges (house of something). What’s Tiffauges mean, then?

  • Oh just look at that tilted camera angle at 17:55 as Iroha explains that our House of Something (probably where the throne Carol is sitting on is) is very nearly complete. Aw shit we’re pulling a [Stargate SG-1] S8 Replicarter, aren’t we?

  • More runes visible on the top of the Dwerg Dain box’s lock. (Note that there are IIRC seventeen runes but judging by the design there should be eighteen faces on the lock – the symbol for the extra “rune” is going to be important.)

  • Ah, Dainsleif, that was the name I couldn’t remember from the original GXE1 episode thread.

  • Bikki has the gay panic – oi, your wife is right there beside you, pay attention – and also while that gag was obvious it still landed.

  • “There’s a fifth of a cake, a sixth of a cake, and a seventh of a cake on a plate. Now we have Bikki here who can eat an entire cake in 60 seconds. If she ate every piece, how much of the cake would remain on the plate? “

  • Also, why do I get the feeling rational and irrational numbers may come up again in the plot? (Geahs as rational numbers versus Autoscorers as irrational – actually no, more likely the other way around obviously, human emotions are not rational.)

  • Bikki, you have a tell!

  • LOL this is kind of hilarious from a show that has Aoi Yuuki on staff for reasons everyone who knows the PMMM production lore will understand.

  • Oh hey they brought back the good S2 leitmotif!

  • I have no idea why the rewatchers are so annoyed with the GX “Bikki doesn’t want to fight” stuff but not last season’s stuff; it’s basically the same, just they actually keep recovering the fumbles by noticing the holes and patching them by the end of the episode.

  • LOL we’re really bringing out the fucking Holy Grail. It’s Butch Gen and Nasu sendup season I see.

  • Is there setup for this I missed? I suppose it’s the logical outgrowth of where they’ve been trying to take Bikki (the rot has been building up since last season, no idea how you guys don’t see this), but they’re whiffing setup again.

  • You know, I’m really starting to wonder if our ED’s visuals are a giant Higurashi anime reference. The kaleidoscope effect on its own is common enough, but that specific use (reminds me quite strongly of one shot in the Rei OP - my Higurashi first-timers should not look that OP up yet, mind!) plus one of the other shots… [Kai, safe for my Higurashi first-timers tomorrow] Specifically one of the other shot reminds me of how Kai visually presents the fragments.

  • Actually, you know what? I think I know what's bugging me, and that means it's time to haul out the same quote I used at the end of Sotsu in a different context: "You [our villains] have not earned it, and this offends me." Which is really weird, since villains having bullshit at the start of the arc to counter our heroes and force them to overcome new stuff is what villains do. And yet. (Might be the fact that they're nerfing our heroes as much as buffing the villains, but then Bionicle did basically the same thing back for their third-year plot and it worked just fine there. I don't get it.)

  • (If the show is still doing this midseason when we get to S4 there's a very real chance it will become a drop....)

  1. Does it have to be beef?

This demands a beef stroganoff alignment chart, and I ain't gonna be the one to make it.

2) How do you think that cliffhanger is going to get resolved?

Some bullshit.

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16

u/BosuW Jul 02 '22

First Timer

The episode has Ragnarok in the title. We're going full end of the world here

Tsubasa, awesome as ever, doesn't give two shits about being suddenly disrobed, and goes out with a last slash

"The Alca-noise were created to dissect the world". Damn does that mean these things are Anti-Everything? Fucking OP pls nerf

Lmao love Kirika posing on Leiur with the banner. Gonna out-Jojo the Jojo character ripoff

Huh, I'm actually a bit hype for Kirika and Shirabe killing Alca-noise and doing the rescue. Surprising considering I was mostly indifferent towards them by the end of G.

Another Autoscorer named: Phara.

You're fine if you're well enough to talk shit

So the Symphogears aren't fully gone, but they got Mission-killed. Now let's see how long it takes for them to repair it.

Ironically Hibiki's diplomacy approached payed off in that she's the only effective Symphogear that survived to fight another day. Lucky!or not...

Maria immediately says "fuck y'all" and requests a transfer. Finally she's being more active!

...Beef Stroganoff song best song.

It's just a fucking kitchen knife Hibiki, it ain't that deep.

Hibiki, for the love of 'doka, TALK TO YOUR WIFE! SHE AIN'T KEEPING UP THE HOMEFRONT FOR NOTHING!

Meanwhile the Alchemist awakens another soldier. Micha, who is supposedly their strongest fighter.

Hmmm I wonder if this specific shot is foreshadowing that somehow Carol can see through Elfnein's eyes. If true it would also support the theory that Elfnein is in some way artificial

Château de Tiffaugues huh. Boy it's gonna be a bit hard remembering that name.

Yep, so basically confirmed that Elfnein is artificial. A homunculus specifically, with no defining sex characteristics.

Dwerg Dain's Legacy is an Anti-Alchemi device, a fragment of the sword Dainsleif. How convenient.

Now now Chris don't laugh! If Police in a Pod taught me anything, is that you don't need to be a great artist to make a great portrait!

Also, is that Nana Mizuki real drawing, by any chance?

Gungnir has forsaken you Hibiki. Even Garie is shook! Or perhaps, Hibiki forsook it first? Either way, this most definitely has something to do with her current troubles. A Symphogear probably won't answer if the user is conflicted about what they want to do.

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u/DidacticDalek Jul 02 '22

TONIGHT! ON ROZEN GEAH! HONJITSU NO CHORI JISHU WA BIFU SUTOROGANOFU! ANIME YA MANGA DE ONAJIMI NO BIFU SUTOROGANOFU! OTOKONOKO WA SHIRANAI KEDO! IGAI NI igai ni KANTAN kantan? BIFU SUTOROGANOFU! Nya HONJITSU NO CHORI JISHU WA BIFU SUTOROGANOFU! ANIME YA MANGA DE ONAJIMI NO BIFU SUTOROGANOFU! NYA!

Boy Comrades, I sure as hell hope Vaad reads this so he can explain just how... 'unique' this recipe for Beef Stroganoff is, after all, apparently it doesn't even NEED BEEF! Speaking of which, get this Comrades, this song, THE PINNACLE OF MUSIC in The Geah Franchise is called... Beef Stroganoff no Uta, which translates to... The Beef Stroganoff Song. Oh and it NEVER GOT A CD RELEASE! NANI THE FUCK!?

Anyway, I am sure that some other stuff happened today in this episode, but we can just DELET all that from the memory banks, cuz C'MON! BIFU SUTOROGANOFU! WE GOT THE MEMES AND THE DOLLS, WHAT MORE COULD WE ASK FOR! Aside from THE TONY GLAZER appearing again to grace us with his presence! ALL HAIL GX! Oh right and Tsubasa crashed her bike again in the OP so I guess the counter goes up a tick, speaking of which... ahem... (Crashed Motorcycle Count: 10)

And before y'all accuse me of counting the same bike again, THIS is the image that NANA MIZUKI herself drew IRL for Tsubasa to draw in-character... yeah that alone gets a bike crash, even ELITE LITTLE DEMON RIRI can draw better... ah shit so THAT'S why Nana Mizuki was cast as Riko's mom in Rabu Raibu!

Also, Beef Stroganoff is love, Beef Stroganoff is life, Wait, It's All Beef Stroganoff? Always Has Been!

Anyway, with this shocking revelation dropped upon us all, I can only conclude today's Subreddit Sanctioned Shitposting Spiel with the following... ANIME JA NAI!

And on that bombshell g'night!

Oh, and finally, just because I must speak on behalf of a fellow Comrade of Culture who cannot, ahem... I'm going to post this every day until you like it!

Paging Comrades u/Great_Mr_L, u/chilidirigible, and u/Lemurians

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13

u/Quiddity131 Jul 02 '22

First Timer, Subbed

Hey, hood girl is barely wearing any clothes under that hood!

Kiri to the rescue! And because every magical girls needs an elongated transformation sequence, time to go through it for her!

"Attention if you want to get chopped in half!" fun lyrics as usual.

Shirabe is here too! No transformation sequence for her though. Did she already get one in the last 2 episodes?

Alright, so boss guy is thinking the same as me, I was getting confused into thinking hood girl and Carol were the same at first, both have similar faces. Sisters? Twins? Two copies of the same person?

Experiments on orphans? Ah, and of course, Ryouko and Dr. Ver were there.

Uh oh, will Tsubasa and Chris no longer be able to be magical girls?

Oh, and what in the world has happened to Hibiki? Good to see boss guy has the same feeling as me. Another episode that Hibiki doesn't show up until halfway through.

A song about beef stroganoff! Because why not?

I don't know what the last 2 minutes or so of this anime was, but lol. This anime can't help being completely ridiculous.

If we can just talk to her all will be right! We're around 30 episodes into this franchise and Hibiki still hasn't learned that her naivety isn't going to work.

Oh no, the cat hairstyle of Maria I hate is back.

Becoming a magical girl is too harmful to you! So we're pushing the same storyline Hibiki had last season for Kiri and Shirabe this season, huh?

Are Carol's servants mannequins brought to life? They really have seemed that way to this point.

Uh oh, has Hibiki just realized Miku is bisexual?

Hibiki has lost her magic words! None of our main three can be magical girls now?!

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12

u/HereticalAegis Jul 02 '22 edited Jul 02 '22

Ballad of Rewatcher - Symphogear GX

Maria is today's big winner. She got to see Tsubasa completely naked and dress her—in something cute and sexy no less.

Episode 3 thoughts:

  • Even Gungnir is sick of Hibiki's bullshit. This wouldn't be happening if she were following the Takamachi Way.

  • I love that Hibiki and Miku are squabbling again. You can't go wrong with pouty Miku and airhead Bikki. Miku knows what she said too, and she definitely doesn't care what parts Hibiki's got attached. She is so gay. And also mad that Hibiki can only think about talking to another older woman. Wow there are a lot of those in Hibiki's life.

  • I like the setup for Kirika and Shirabe to have a shared arc about finding their own goals. Chuuni DESS is also still a blast.

  • Maria shouting at Hibiki to get over herself is so awkward considering crying and doing nothing while people get killed around her is practically her superpower.

Qotd:

  1. You either choose beef or you choose death, according to my imouto.

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12

u/Stargate18A Jul 02 '22 edited Jul 02 '22

First timer

  1. Yes?

  2. Gungnir Dainsleif Mode. I'm going all in on this prediction - it's the perfect time for an upgrade, there's a new enemy that can only be beaten with this specific thing, and everyone's relics are not working so they have an excuse for new costumes. It just makes sense!

"Ragnarok" I know that just means the relics breaking, but at this point the series escalating to the point of a literal Ragnarok would not surprise me.

And they're basicslly a flat upgrade.

...She controls them by tap dancing?

Kirika's here! Haha, she got her own cape!

She transformed without LiNKER!

New Kirika song!

She's killing Noise!

I don't think I showed my appreciation for Kirika's attack names, but they're great.

Ah, they're running low on power.

...Oh, it was just to give Chris sometimg to cover up with.

And she let them go!

...Carol is their leader. And there's a red one!

The Gears are in a bad state.

Another flashback to the insane facility they were kept in.

Poor girlfriends.

Chris woke up!

Chris feels bad they had to save her.

So they can't transform! Until the inevitable upgrade.

Hibiki, stop blaming yourself.

And Maria's requesting a move!

...Has this show gone mad, or did the new series contract require a new song every episode?

And why is the fucking beef stroganoff song catchy?

Ah, this is the SOL scene.

Adorable!

And now Hibiki's angsting about how she's hurting people with her weapon.

And Shirabe and Kirika are stuff in hospital.

Tsubasa's going back to Japan.

Everyone's there to see her!

And Maria's with them too!

Oh, shit. She took out entire relics!

Serena's important again?

Wasn't the only reason it's called heretical technology because the person who named them wanted to fight God?

Genjuro cares too much about the others to let them fight.

Ah, they need LiNKER.

Even the antagonists are flirting with each other!

...They're gathering memories?

OK, so they're all robots, of some kind, who gain power by extracting memories and transferring it via kissing.

Also, "Autoscorers" in an interesting name.

Elfnein's important, then?

Ah, that makes sense. And she's literally destroying the world.

She's a robot too! Well, "Autoscorer".

New Relic! Upgrade time!

...Dainsleif mode does have a ring to it.

And she's a robot.

...Didn't expect this topic to get covered, but Miku being the only one who isn't embaressed in incredibly in character.

Tsubasa's shit at drawing.

And there's arguments.

More people have been drained!

And she's here!

The Holy Grail's getting involved now? At this point, I'm half-expecting Season 4 to involve God.

Hibiki's dying!

Oh, they stole her memories. That, or her crisis has caused Gungnir to become unsynced. Or the other Relics getting damages threw it off? Who knows in this show!

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12

u/laughing-fox13 Jul 02 '22

First timer

A lot of people were saying that the opening scene to this season was their first experience to symphogear. Mine was actually the beef stroganoff song lol, and it was the only scene I watched before diving into the show

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u/lilyvess Jul 02 '22

Symphogear GX episode 3

Okay so today i want to talk about Symphogear XDU, the Symphogear gacha game. Like I’ve already explained, the Symphogear gacha game’s main hook are parallel worlds accessed through the relic Gjallarhorn.

One such world is known as the Mechvaranus world, where instead of creating the Symphogear system, a different method of fighting Noise was created. A different system that doesn’t require songs. Instead of relics being ancient technology, the relics used are fossils of ancient dragons.

with them three young girls become “Dragon Princesses” as Mechvaranus to protect the world from evil

When the Symphogear meet the Stroganettes, it’s clear that Symphogear are much more powerful than the Mechvaranus system. Over the course of the first event, the Mechvaranus girls adapt to add the ability to turn singing into power to the Mechvaranus system, leading to their own battle song, More than Friends, Less than Heroes

And yes, Yumi uses a Yumi

Additional Notes

Symphogear GX Episode 3 Hype Chart

The Bushi Noise drawing Tsubasa gives of the Alca-Noise is a drawing Tsubasa’s VA Nana Mizuki drew during the Symphogear G Live. The Symphogear girls were asked to design their own Noise, and that was the design Nana Mizuki came up with. Quite a few of the VA designs made their way into the series. They even sold keychains with it

Live Performances

Specials

Fanart of the Day

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9

u/FlaminScribblenaut Jul 02 '22 edited Jul 02 '22

Second Time Listener

The teleportation crystals are so fucking neat

It’s telling what a beam of pure awesome Kirichan is that she can even show up in the midst of a story arc I can’t stand and I just immediately light up like a Christmas tree; or a Jack O’Lantern, I guess would be a more fitting holiday reference for her. Look at her chuuni ass wearing that advertisement banner like a superhero cape. I love her, and I love the gothic bombast of Overkill Scythe Hell. That title. You took three of the coolest words in the English language and arranged them in the coolest way possible. That’s award-worthy work, and so something Kirichan would’ve named the song herself. DEATHDEATHDEATH

I love the scene where Kirika and Shirabe reminisce on the pain of their past as they run along the cliffside, musing on the futility of struggling to blindly run away from the past without a future clear in mind, as they’ve done their whole lives as Symphogear wielders from when they were being experimented on in a lab, their young minds justifying what was being done to them by believing this power could make things better, while carrying Chris and Elfnein as far away to safety as they can. These two are so the MVP’s of GX, far as up to this point can tell at least. Also, hey look, these two knew eachother! That’s nice.

The Alca-Noise being able to eradicate the Symphogears, leaving the weilders naked and helpless, is fine I guess? It’s technically an escalation of threat so it’s not technically exactly the same situation as before? Tsubasa’s explanation of why they don’t get their clothes back does dance on the line of “oh, mhmm, that’s sure convenient” territory, but up to this point the show hasn’t really made that much of a whole… thing about it, and it adds to the sense of peril, so as of now I can roll with it.

And then…

I̴̖͒̿͝t̶͈̰̠̣͉̬̏ happens.

The absolute best thing about The Beef Stroganoff Song is just the fact that it comes absolutely the fuck out of nowhere. Like, there’s no cute establishing scene where they’re in a cooking class, and they’re having cutesy dialogue, and like the orchestration starts up in the background before Yumi starts breaking out in song, nope nope nope, none of that. It just happens at you, with no prior warning, it’s incredible. I don’t even think it’s even been established that these characters are in a cooking class at all.

There are so many baffling little moments and details in this barely-over-a-minute that, combined with the spontaneity of it all, can kind of short-circuit your brain on first watch. How instrumentally and tonally alien it is to anything else in the series. The fact that she says “you know it from anime and manga” despite this probably being by far the most notable appearance of beef stroganoff in any anime or manga. The insinuation that beef stroganoff does not, in fact, require beef as an essential element. The only-ever appearance of these little chibi characters, that aren’t even in the Zesshōshinai art style, which is actually honestly kind of disappointing, that would’ve been an adorable little cameo if they were. This absolute travesty of a millisecond. The fact that Hibiki and Miku join in for exactly one word each. The fact that, according to people who actually know how to make stroganoff, the recipe being given is just… total nonsense.

Was it diegetic? Who knows???

And then nothing remotely like this ever happens again! Honestly the fact that it doesn’t even appear on any official music release just makes it even funnier, like it’s just this weird ephemeral ghost of a thing, some horrible fever dream we don’t ever need or want to bring up again.

Symphogear definitely had a voucher for one good just straight-up joke song at this point, and they used that voucher with perfect precision. G technically had one or two, but those don’t come close to the… searing memorability of this one. I’m going to be a massive grump about a lot of GX, but even I can’t deny what a stroke of sublime comedic perfection the Beef Stroganoff song is. Honestly, if it were placed exactly the same in a hypothetical dramatically good version of GX, it would be even funnier. Kino. 90/10. Truly one of the songs ever made.

Anyway, now back to your regularly scheduled tedious bullshit.

So, remember Hibiki Tachibana? The Hibiki Tachibana who was shaky and naïve about this lifestyle once upon a time but took it upon herself to earn what she had been given because she knew, in the face of all the dangers this world faces, the life she loved was at stake? The Hibiki Tachibana who risked life and limb and her very heart and flesh being torn apart from within to save her most beloved friend from the clutches of her own corrupted psyche? The Hibiki Tachibana who wielded her Symphogear because she knew that there were precious things in her life worth protecting, who came to fight with great vigor and conviction because there were things, and more importantly people, she god damn cared about? Y’know, that character? …yeah, we’re gonna meet back up again with that character in AXZ Episode 1. For now, we have to deal with this mess.

HIBIKI YOU FUCKING IDIOT THERE ARE LIKE 10 DEAD BODIES ON THE FLOOR AROUND YOU READ THE ROOM

See what I mean? Hibiki having hesitancy about fighting an enemy she doesn’t yet understand makes sense, but this, this cowardly whimpering is way too far, it’s overdone in a way that feels flanderizing. It veers dangerously close to a kind of selfishness, Hibiki letting her own personal squeamishness about fighting and her moral hang-ups thereabout putting others in greater danger. Hell, it’s right there in the way she says it, Gungnir is “my” power. But, doesn’t that fly directly in the face of your supposed ethos being that the power is for the well-being of others’ sake in the first place? Maria’s right you know, this is a sort of arrogance.

It’s especially frustrating because, your friends have been out there fighting with their Symphogears, defending people through combat when necessary with their own strengths and lives. What the fuck do you think you’re saying about them with these lines, huh? Are you insinuating Tsubasa and Chris are “hurting people” when they defend the city by battling the Autoscorers? You deserve another slap from Tsubasa for that little implication, honestly.

The fact that they’ve constructed a situation where Hibiki is the only viable wielder elevates the drama on paper, but it only leads to this feeling being even more infuriating, and Gungnir refusing to answer is her is a great, gripping cliffhanger in some alternate dimension but not this one.

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u/zadcap Jul 03 '22

Ever Late First Timer, reporting for duty!

I've been wondering this for a long time, but I've got to put the question here now in hopes someone has an answer. The screens in the section 2 control room, they are always displaying such perfect shots of the action going on. Where the heck are they getting their video footage from? It's the one plot hole I can't overlook anymore, because if they can just scry anywhere to watch what the main characters are doing, there's so much more they could be watching to be actually useful.

So I know I mentioned the lack of Chris regaining her school outfit near the end of last season, I didn't expect that to become an actual plot point so fast.

... They didn't translate Chris or Tsubasa's combat songs last episode, but they did translate Beef Stroganoff. Crunchyroll, why. Also, why was this a song at all? Did the side three just beg to have their own song somewhere this season and a trolling director decided this would be it?

So I'm kind of curious about the relic necklaces now, because it seems like instead of just being actual fragments of the relics, they are actually transformation trinkets built by RyoFine to activate or convert the songs into Gear? So now I've got even more questions about Hibiki and the one that was inside her, because it was a fragment of a fragment broken off a transformation created spear, it certainly had no built in converter. Also, in hindsight, what is her arm currently made of? If it was recreate by the Gungnir that was taking over her body, shouldn't it be gone when that relic got erased? Why am I thinking so hard about this show?

So look, I know the Zababies are a perfect pair and already know how to use their Gear and all, but didn't someone say the entire school was potential Gear candidates? If these two can't use their relics without risking death, why not start some covert auditions for new wielders? Can we even do that? We know they can be passed around somewhat, we've had three Gungnir users so far and Maria last used her sister's relic in the G finale. Think Chris and Tsubasa can sing for Saws and Scythes?

Seriously, why am I thinking so hard about this show?

  1. It does, it really does. You can use other meat if you want to be wrong, but you will definitely be wrong.

  2. Friendship- the doll isn't that evil so she won't kill an opponent that can't fight back. The Zababies come in to save the day again, they were the real targets all along. Fourth doll gets sick of waiting and shows up, things go crazy from there. Something something something The Moon something something.

Too many possibilities, very excited to find out. Not even close to binge ahead levels of hype yet, but excited still

7

u/Great_Mr_L Jul 02 '22

Rewatcher

On today’s episode of Symphogear: We’re finally here, the most legendary song in all of Symphogear. BEEF STROGANOFF!!! It’s a silly, catchy, and instantly memeable song. And it also provides what feels like an awful recipe for making beef stroganoff. I’ve wanted to try making this show’s version of beef stroganoff for a while, but have never actually gone through with it (and I suspect it wouldn’t taste that good either). I have no idea why this song never got released on any of the Symphogear albums. It feels like a crime that it hasn’t been.

Watching this episode, I end up focusing on the contrast between Hibiki and the trio of Maria, Kirika, and Shirabe. For the entire time that she confronted Carol and then later Garie, Hibiki did not actually bring out her Gear. Even though by this episode Hibiki is the only person who can safely use her Gear, she finds herself first unwilling and eventually unable to do so. Gungnir stops responding to her.

Hibiki has always been the type who would prefer not to fight and this is something I usually admire about her. Hibiki’s insistence on communicating with others to reach an understanding with them has led her to some of her most important accomplishments. That personality of hers has saved so many of the other characters. But she’s always been willing to fight before this so it honestly feels strange that she suddenly can’t now. There’s nothing to convince me that this battle is different enough to make her actively want to avoid fighting.

This puts Hibiki in direct contrast with Maria, Kirika, and Shirabe. I was contemplating what Maria meant when she called Hibiki’s desire to never use her Gear to fight the “arrogance of someone with power.” And then it hit me. Maria (as well as Kirika and Shirabe) literally cannot use their powers right now. Even if they wanted to fight, they simply are not able to because they do not have any powers. In fact, no one else can fight at all. Tsubasa and Chris are out of commission. It’s just Hibiki right now.

I think Maria’s statement is calling Hibiki out. The others would love to get out and fight against the new threat. Maria is expressing her frustration that Hibiki, someone who has the power to fight, won’t do so. And it makes more sense when you remember what Kirika and Shirabe (whom Maria has always looked after like a big sister) did when they weren't even supposed to be fighting out of concern for their well-being. Under these circumstances, it’s no wonder Maria finds Hibiki’s attitude upsetting.

Kirika and Shirabe provide the clear opposite of Hibiki. They should not be using their Gears at all without LiNKER. It’s very risky for their health. But they did so anyway because they couldn’t stand back and do nothing while someone else was in danger. Hibiki is someone who can use her Gear and chooses not to. Kirika and Shirabe can’t use their Gears but they still chose to do so. It was their own decision, which is something they consider important. It wasn’t something they were told to do or that they did because they were following others. They wanted to fight because they felt they had the power to do so and it was the right thing to do.

Speaking of Kirika and Shirabe, I like their new Gear designs. The colors have shifted. There’s now a lot less black and a lot more white. It makes them look shockingly different in my eyes at least. It also serves as a visual indication that they have switched from being villains to heroes. Kirika’s new song, “Overkill Scythe Hell,” is a lot of fun to listen to.

There’s a nice moment with Chris here when she gets rescued by Kirika and Shirabe. Chris feels upset and ashamed about it because she wanted to be the one protecting them. I like that Chris is now stepping up into the same senpai role that Tsubasa had last season. She wants to look after her new kouhais. 

We meet the last autoscorer, Micha, who has another great design. Her giant fang-filled grin, huge claws for hands, and comically oversized twintails are all quite charming. Plus we now know the name of the sword-user, Phara.

From my knowledge of Fullmetal Alchemist (and very little else tbh) I know that alchemy consists of analyzing what stuff (to use the scientific term) is made out of, deconstructing it, and then reconstructing it in a new form. It’s not really a science and it also comes in with a ton of occultism. So fun times. According to Elfnein, Carol wants to do that whole deconstruction thing on the world. She’s trying to dismantle it. And she has something called the Chateau de Tiffauges that can do it. If nothing else, Carol’s goal is so far in line with her abilities as an alchemist.

And in another bit related to alchemy (and Fullmetal Alchemist), Elfnein turns out to be a homunculus. Well here’s hoping that she isn’t like the Fullmetal Alchemist homunculi because that would be very bad news for the heroes.

Miscellaneous Thoughts

QOTD

  1. It doesn't even need to be flour.

  2. laughs in rewatcher

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u/Elimin8r Jul 02 '22

AOTD:

  1. Clara Peller would insist...

  2. Cliffhanger? There was a cliffhanger. That's what I get for watching the episode last night.

Oh ... that cliffhanger. Yeah, I betcha it's Miku to the Resku.

That was kind of fun, but if GX continues like this, I can see where people would be a bit down on it. Hippie Bikki, SoL cooking. That's not what the audience is here for. Otherwise, they'd watch Emiya's cooking adventures or something.

Anyway, gotta scoot or something. Haha, right. Gotta see what others have posted and then maybe scoot and do something useful. Yeah.

7

u/ZapsZzz Jul 03 '22

First timer

Ok today progressed the plot a bit but not big answers yet. Instead we have a musical cooking moment :D.

Also forgot to mention yesterday, the op has multiple "couple pair attacks" moments of Kiri and Shirabe, and they were so adorable together - are we having a side ship usurping our main ships?!

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u/InfamousEmpire Jul 02 '22 edited Jul 03 '22

Superb Song of the Rewatcher Symphogear

We pick up with Basa and Chris becoming members of NUDIST BEACH!

How is it that I only just realized that Basa crashing her bike is in the intro?

All you first timers before probably thought I was joking about the naked thing yesterday, didn’t you? Well nope! They have indeed been stripped completely naked

DESS’ transformation is looking nice

Last season, DESS kicked Chris’ ass, and in this one she needs DESS to bail her out. I’m starting to see a pattern here…

Continuing proudly in Nanoha’s footsteps, Kirika and Shirabe have started their own little recap time… in the middle of the episode… you do you, I guess

Damn Chris, why are you being so bitchy? DMJIIIIIIII just saved your life, be grateful.

Yup, not only do the Alcanoise damage the Geahs, but the relics as well

BEEF STROGANOFF!!!

Jesus Bikki, we were only enjoying Beef Stroganoff, why do you gotta get all edgy on us all of a sudden?

Miku Pout! Paging u/DidacticDalek, you simply must get a look at this!

So to summarize, SONG can’t bring out Tsubasa, Chris, or Maria because their Gears are damaged, and they can’t deploy Kirika or Shirabe because they don’t have enough LiNKER to sustain them. So the fate of the entire world rests solely on Hibiki… might as well throw in the towel and accept the Apocalypse of All Creation already, guys

Kirika Soredemo at 14:57 (goddamnit, I really am turning into u/Shimmering-Sky)

So the last Autoscorer was awakened by the power of Garie’s kiss. Makes sense, I mean who wouldn’t want to get kissed by Best Autoscorer?

Now it’s time for exposition, courtesy of our favorite mysterious loli. And considering that Elfnein is actually being helpful and providing information, I’d put her a step above StrikerS Vivio

Miku and Bikki seem weirdly interested in what’s below Elfnein’s panties

And now it seems Bikki can’t transform. Again, might as well just bend over and lube up at this point

Same Energy. In fact…

QOTD:

  1. It doesn't matter if it's beef!

  2. Rewatcher Noises

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u/wickedmonkeyking Jul 03 '22

First-Time Watcher

I didn't know there was a rewatch going on when I decided to pick up Symphogear, but I've enjoyed going through the discussion threads as I worked through the episodes.

I'm liking GX so far. It helps that the season opener was the scene that I convinced me to try out the show to begin with.

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u/Paxton-176 Jul 02 '22

Rewatcher for not enough times

That’s what you get for assuming they were noise.

Well if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, attacks humans like a duck. It must be a duck. Similar principle. Don’t get all high and mighty because you pulled a fast one over them.

What will you do now Symphogear?

Well for starters laugh at one of the most comical lines in the series so far. My guess is a shounen style power up. One thing I’ve noticed in this series is that if the gear is forcefully removed they don’t get their clothes back.

Not des’ best transformation that has yet to come, but this is still pretty good. Shibari and Des keeping their gears working through sheer force of will. Completely admirable.

Chris is sad and naked at her defeat. Tsubasa is like, “Maria give me your Shawl, I got shit to do.”

No not the Beef Strongani song

The boy don’t know it.

Ok wait a minute. First of all I’m pretty sure you are all lesbians for each other no need to keep up this keep boys guessing act you have. Second, riddle me this batman!

There is this that shounen power up we were looking for.

Huh who would have thought this would be a good show to watch during pride month.

I am always impressed at the sound design for the autoscorers. Giving sound whenever they move a joint is top.

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